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2008 Corvette Convertible
Monday, June 23, 2008
Patsy Oliver, Texas Tribune
(The Tribune is a locally owned weekly newspaper for the Atascosita, Humble and Kingwood Texas area.)
What It Is : The 2008 Corvette convertible is a sports car for people of all ages. Chevrolet has made a lot of changes to make the Corvette more competitive against its European counterparts. Although it is not as mouth-watering as the new Z06 (505hp) or the soon -to-be-available ZR1 (600 hp), it is fun, fun, fun.
Under the hood: Well, that's the best part ... 430 horses in this 6.2-liter LS3 aluminum block V-8, with 424 lb.-ft. of torque. The transmission is a 6-speed manual (standard), but mine had the 6-speed paddle shift automatic.
Cup holders: There are two, with no room nor need for more.
Upside: Did I mention it is a lot of fun? With the exhaust upgraded to the dual-mode ($1,195, opens more for high load), it had even more umph (6 more hp) and sounds beautifully menacing when you put your foot down. As always, the car looks great, but it also has a better ride and a far more refined interior than its predecessors. Mine was the new Jetstream Blue color (nice), with black leather (upgraded with custom leather-wrapped interior). Magnetic selective ride control is an option added to the car I tested. You can simply click the knob at the center console; left, for a smoother touring ride, or right, for a sportier ride. Overall, I loved this car. It looks great, grabs the road like it has suction cups on the tires, and turns heads everywhere. And the gas mileage is not bad, either. I've been disappointed with the comfort in a lot of two-seaters, but this Corvette is very comfortable, and the controls are easy and ergonomic ... love the gauges. Another upside is that you can get about 24 plastic shopping bags into the trunk if the top is not down. OnStar and XM Satellite radio are now standard features.
Downside: I had a few issues getting the top up and down, even though mine had the automatic convertible. It's not that it is difficult, just particular. A manual top is standard, which I think is a shame for its price tag.
Mileage: The EPA rating is 15 city and 25 highway miles per gallon. I averaged 14 miles per gallon.
Cost: Base is $54,575. With all the extras added to the car I tested, it came to $73,210.
© 2008 Ourtribune.com
Monday, June 23, 2008
Patsy Oliver, Texas Tribune
(The Tribune is a locally owned weekly newspaper for the Atascosita, Humble and Kingwood Texas area.)
What It Is : The 2008 Corvette convertible is a sports car for people of all ages. Chevrolet has made a lot of changes to make the Corvette more competitive against its European counterparts. Although it is not as mouth-watering as the new Z06 (505hp) or the soon -to-be-available ZR1 (600 hp), it is fun, fun, fun.
Under the hood: Well, that's the best part ... 430 horses in this 6.2-liter LS3 aluminum block V-8, with 424 lb.-ft. of torque. The transmission is a 6-speed manual (standard), but mine had the 6-speed paddle shift automatic.
Cup holders: There are two, with no room nor need for more.
Upside: Did I mention it is a lot of fun? With the exhaust upgraded to the dual-mode ($1,195, opens more for high load), it had even more umph (6 more hp) and sounds beautifully menacing when you put your foot down. As always, the car looks great, but it also has a better ride and a far more refined interior than its predecessors. Mine was the new Jetstream Blue color (nice), with black leather (upgraded with custom leather-wrapped interior). Magnetic selective ride control is an option added to the car I tested. You can simply click the knob at the center console; left, for a smoother touring ride, or right, for a sportier ride. Overall, I loved this car. It looks great, grabs the road like it has suction cups on the tires, and turns heads everywhere. And the gas mileage is not bad, either. I've been disappointed with the comfort in a lot of two-seaters, but this Corvette is very comfortable, and the controls are easy and ergonomic ... love the gauges. Another upside is that you can get about 24 plastic shopping bags into the trunk if the top is not down. OnStar and XM Satellite radio are now standard features.
Downside: I had a few issues getting the top up and down, even though mine had the automatic convertible. It's not that it is difficult, just particular. A manual top is standard, which I think is a shame for its price tag.
Mileage: The EPA rating is 15 city and 25 highway miles per gallon. I averaged 14 miles per gallon.
Cost: Base is $54,575. With all the extras added to the car I tested, it came to $73,210.
© 2008 Ourtribune.com
